* American Fly Fishing Trade Association * American Sportfishing ...

* American Fly Fishing Trade Association * American Sportfishing Association * Archery Trade Association * Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies * Berkley Conservation Institute * Bear Trust International * Bowhunting Preservation Alliance * Boone and Crockett Club * Catch-A-Dream Foundation * Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation * Conservation Force * Dallas Safari Club * Delta Waterfowl Foundation * Ducks Unlimited * Izaak Walton League of America * Masters of Foxhounds Association * Mule Deer Foundation * National Rifle Association * National Trappers Association * National Shooting Sports Foundation * National Wild Turkey Federation * National Wildlife Federation * North American Bear Foundation * North American Grouse Partnership *Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association * Orion, The Hunter’s Institute * Pheasants Forever * Public Lands Foundation * Quail Forever * Quality Deer Management Institute * Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation * Ruffed Grouse Society * Safari Club International * Shimano * Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership * Tread Lightly! * Trout Unlimited * U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance * Whitetails Unlimited * Wild Sheep Foundation * Wildlife Management Institute * Wildlife Mississippi * February 26, 2013 Secretary Ken Salazar Department of the Interior 849 C St, NW Washington, DC 20240

Secretary Tom Vilsack Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20250

Dear Secretary Salazar and Secretary Vilsack: The undersigned organizations represent millions of sportsmen conservationists across the United States who are united in seeking your help to open and improve access to public lands for recreational purposes, including hunting, fishing and recreational shooting through the continuation of "hunter and angler access" funding within the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in FY2014. This important budget item would dedicate a very small portion of LWCF to enhancing recreational access to Federal land that is inaccessible or significantly restricted. This line item had wide support in the 112th Congress, as it was included in both chambers' appropriations bills, was the focus of bipartisan stand-alone legislation, the Making Public Lands Public Access Act, and was part of the larger Sportsmen's bill, the Sportsmen’s Act of 2012, in the Senate. We appreciate that it was in the President's budget in FY2013, which our community strongly supported. We would support the continued inclusion of this language in the President’s budget. Nearly half of all hunters conduct a portion of their hunting activity on public lands. Lack of access is cited as the primary reason that hunters, anglers and target shooters stop participating in these traditional activities. In fact, a 2004 report to the House Appropriations Committee concluded that more than 36 million acres of USFS and BLM land have inadequate access.

Opening access to the public lands that U.S. citizens own is not only vital to preserving America’s sporting heritage, but it will also serve to benefit the economy. In 2011, sportsmen spent nearly $90 billion on their outdoor pursuits. Additionally, excise taxes on fishing, hunting, shooting equipment and motorboat fuel as well as fees for licenses and stamps are all dedicated to state fish and wildlife management programs. Coupled with the generous support of conservation organizations, this generates nearly $3 billion a year for conservation efforts. Thank you for your consideration of this request and for your service on behalf of America’s hunting, fishing and conservation community. Sincerely, American Fly Fishing Trade Association American Sportfishing Association Archery Trade Association Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Bear Trust Alliance Bowhunting Preservation Alliance Berkley Conservation Institute Boone and Crockett Club Catch-A-Dream Foundation Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation Conservation Force Dallas Safari Club Delta Waterfowl Foundation Ducks Unlimited Izaak Walton League of America Masters of Foxhounds Association Mule Deer Foundation National Rifle Association National Trappers Association National Shooting Sports Foundation National Wild Turkey Federation

National Wildlife Federation North American Bear Foundation North American Grouse Partnership Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association Orion, The Hunter’s Institute Pheasants Forever Public Lands Foundation Quail Forever Quality Deer Management Institute Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Ruffed Grouse Society Safari Club International Shimano Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership Tread Lightly! Trout Unlimited U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Whitetails Unlimited Wild Sheep Foundation Wildlife Management Institute Wildlife Mississippi